Someone Your Own Age
by Meme-Ann
Summary: COMPLETE Adam and Larissa thought they could over come anything, but now it seems their age difference has them in separate worlds. Will Ronni Broadbent make Adam change his mind about his feeling for Rissa? Age Is Just A Number sequel.
1. 1

I DO NOT OWN THE MIGHTY DUCKS HOW SAD THAT MAKES ME FEEL. LARISSA, VERONICA AND ANYTHING YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE I DO OWN.  
  
Adam was waiting outside Larissa's dorm for her, that chilly morning. It was February in Minnesota and he was practically frozen as he stood there cursing himself for giving Larissa his toasty warm varsity jacket. However when he saw her coming down the stairs in it, the jacket buttoned up to the top and her cheeks already frosted pink by the winter air, he suddenly felt warm.  
  
"You didn't have to meet me this morning Adam. Are you trying to catch pneumonia?" Rissa bounded over to him, her smile bright as the morning sun.  
  
"I wait for you every day, I wasn't going to let a little cold weather stop me." Banks wrapped his arms around her waist, his cold hands making contact with her warm flesh.  
  
"What are you doing today after school?" The girl queried hoping between homework, playing hockey with the guys and being the senior class vice president her boy friend will have made some time for her.  
  
"Tutoring Ronni from my calculus class. It should look good on a college application."   
  
That's how things had been for about a month at that point. Larissa's biggest worry was what to wear to school the next day and what color pen to pass notes in, Banksie was worrying about college and growing up. He was going into the real world and Rissa still had 3 more years of the shelter of Eden Hall. They were only 36 months apart in age but some times in seemed like 36 years.  
  
"Math that's not my thing." Rissa stated as they had just about reached the cafeteria.  
  
"It's not Ronni's either." Her boyfriend held the door open for her.  
  
"Will you come by my door when you're done?"  
  
"If we don't finish to late I will."  
  
Larissa felt very let down; certainly Adam had to have noticed the distance between them recently. So why wouldn't he try to find time for her? Then she came to realization maybe age wasn't just a number.  
  
The couple got their trays and took their usual seats across from Luis and Julie who had made up frequently since the whole Nicky fiasco. Luis was nibbling her ear and Julie was elbowing him gently to stop, which wasn't at all working.  
  
"Do you two have to do that in public?" Russ and Jacky had broken up a week prior and now seeing anyone showing affection was driving him nutty.  
  
"It's not me it's him." Julie elbowed Luis a little harder and he pulled back.  
  
Larissa squeezed Banks's hand under the table and was quite surprised when he squeezed back. Though that minuet gesture reassured her slightly that maybe he was still in love with her. That was until "Ronni" came to talk confirming plans with Adam.  
  
"Adam, you'll be at my room at 5 right? I have plans you so can't be late." To Rissa's surprise Ronni was a 5'9" model slim girl, with medium length curly black hair and golden eyes.  
  
"Why would my boyfriend be going to your room at 5 tonight?" Larissa asked with and attitude as silence fell across the Duck's table  
  
"He's tutoring me in math. I'm Veronica Broadbent." The older girl extended her hand to Larissa who shook it half-heartedly "Well I better get back to my table, bye Adam." The girl actually had the nerve to wink at him.  
  
Rissa shot Banks a glare and he paled instantly   
"What I told you I was tutoring Ronni tonight."  
  
"By Ronni I thought you mean Ronny Lexmark from the basketball team. Not Veronica Broadbent, everyone's idea of the perfect women!" Larissa didn't really know why she was so upset. Adam had every right to help a girl that's not doing well in class. That's just the type of guy he was one that's life to be ideal for everyone. But still she thought of how it seemed that lately their relationship was falling apart and instead of working on it, he'd rather spend time with beautiful girls.  
  
"I'm gonna go to my dorm and get packed up for class." Suddenly she didn't feel much like eating.  
  
"I'll walk you." Banksie just away from the table  
  
"No I'll be fine, stay here, and finish your breakfast."  
  
A few minutes after Rissa left Adam did too, he wondered around the snowy campus thinking like he had been a lot lately. Thinking about how much he cared about Larissa, but something just wasn't the same anymore. She'd brought him back from that coma, her love giving him the will to live and now it seemed as though there was a wedge pushing them apart. She'd been getting more and more jealous lately, about little things. Jealous of all the time he spent doing over things, not being with her. But he had his future to worry about. He needed that hockey scholarship to Princeton or his father would blow a gasket. Not because they couldn't afford to send him anyway, but because one of Phil's partner's sons got a tennis scholarship to Stanford. Like hell if Philip Banks was going to be shown up. Maybe she had the right to be mad at him, he really didn't know. All he knew was he didn't want to lose her for anything, but if things continued on the track they were on, he'd let her go.  
  
~* I don't know if this is coming out as good as the first one but I got a lot of "I'm sorry this is over" reviews and Hockeygurl07 requested a sequel. So being the wonderful and bored out of my mind person I am, I figured I'd continue the Adam and Larissa saga. Please review good or bad. Thanks bunches MEME *~ 


	2. 2

~*I don't own the Mighty Ducks especially not Adam Banks ( though I wish I did) I do however own Vincent Larusso so don't touch him. Kidding just kidding. Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming.*~  
  
  
  
  
  
Adam arrived at Veronica's dorm room at exactly 5; he was never one to be early and loathed being late. The door opened almost as soon as he knocked and Ronni ushered him in swiftly. She was wearing a black leather mini skirt and tight fitting hot pink blouse and Adam assumed it was for the plans she'd mentioned.  
  
"Please make yourself comfortable." She sat on the bed and tapped the spot next to her.  
  
"Umm I think I'll sit in at the desk." Banks put his calculator, book, notebook and pencil down.  
  
"Suit yourself." Veronica smiled at him flirtatiously.  
  
  
"So, yeah let's get started. I've gotta try to see my girlfriend before curfew."  
  
"Your girlfriend that was the loud mouth freshmen from breakfast?"  
  
"That's her, her name's Larissa Saunders."  
  
"I know who she is, she's the girl that got you arrested two months ago. It was all over the school, quite the little scandal you know."  
  
"Not exactly." Adam stiffened at the memory. Sometimes when he was all alone and it was quiet, he could still feel the emptiness of the jail cell, as if that feeling would be a part of him forever. Yet he couldn't blame Rissa, she never meant to hurt him, she never would.  
"We've been threw a lot together, it just makes me love her even more. Back to this. Was there any problem you had particular trouble with?" Banksie turned back to the book.  
  
"I don't see how you could, she doesn't seem that much of a prize." Ronni walked toward him from the bed. He could feel her chest pressed against his back and breath on his neck.  
  
"I'm starting to think you didn't ask me here to help you with your homework at all." The hockey player fidgeted in his seat, his discomfort endearing him more to Veronica.  
  
"It took you long enough to realize that. And I thought you were ranked third in the class." Ronni put her hands on his shoulder massaging then lightly "Boy you're tense."  
  
"I…" Banks gulped feeling his body heat rise "have a girlfriend."  
  
"I know we already established that fact. In case you haven't noticed I don't care. You must not care much either of else you wouldn't be spending your Friday night here with me, or you would've at least left by now."  
  
"I love Larissa she's my world."  
  
"You don't sound to convinced. You know, no one understands why you're with her anyway. You're gorgeous, sweet, smart, popular and very well off. Why would you even be interested in, a poor little freshmen like her? There are plenty of girls right in the senior class that would give their right arms to be with you, myself included. We could understand you so much better then Marissa ever could."  
  
"Larissa, her name is Larissa. I'm gonna go, there's no reason for me to be here." He gathered his things and headed to the door where Veronica cut him off.  
  
"Fine go, but keep in mind if you want credit for this tutoring program, you have o tutor me at lest 3 times a week for the entire term."  
  
"I'll be back tomorrow at the same time." Adam stated as the realization that he couldn't get out of this without screwing up the well roundedness of his college applications.  
  
"I'll be here. Oh and Adam one more thing." With that she pushed her lips to his in a fiery yet unexpected kiss. One that Banks found himself returning in slight.  
  
"I've gotta go." He told her racing down the hall, up the stores and straight to Larissa's room. She met him at the door with a smile and pressed her lips to his. The very lips that had been so recently pressed to Ronni's. 


	3. 3

"How was the session?" Larissa took Adam's hand and pulled him into the room.  
  
"Fine. Where's Nicky?" Banks looked around the room uncomfortably  
  
"Out. I told her you maybe stopping by so she's spending the night at her friend Taylor's dorm."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yup, so we should be alone for awhile. What's wrong hun?" Larissa looked hurt when she went to kiss Adam again and he turned his head so her lips met his cheek  
  
"Nothing, why would something be wrong?"  
  
"If I knew I wouldn't be asking you."  
  
"I think you're imagining things." Adam leaned forward to kiss her quiet. He didn't wan to lie to her, but he also didn't want to hurt her. If she didn't ask anything he wouldn't have to answer it. Larissa's hand came up to his face and her eyes closed, relishing in the feel of his lips.  
  
"You haven't kissed me like that in weeks." When they separated she had to make the observation  
  
"I've had a lot on my mind lately." Banks leaned back against her head board  
  
"Anything, you'd like to share?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
Larissa sighed and pulled a nonexistent lit ball over her comforter.  
"You can talk to me you know. I'm not just here to make out with. The word friend is in the title girlfriend."  
  
"I know Rissa, trust me if there was something I could talk to you about I would."  
  
"You can talk to me about anything Adam."  
  
"Not this."  
  
"Why's it about me or something? Or am I a bad girlfriend and you don't trust me?"  
  
"You're a great girlfriend Rissa, you're beautiful and smart and fun and you're always there for me." Somehow saying these words made all the feelings he use to have for her resurface. Lunging forward, pressing hot kisses on her mouth and neck. His hands traveled up her shirt and soon his fingers were fiddling with the clasp to her bra.  
  
"Adam stop. What's with you? One minute you even want me to kiss you, the next you think I'm just gonna play slap and tickle with you." Larissa rolled out from under him and slid on the floor between her bed, which Banks was now laying on with a scowl and Nicky's  
  
"How long are you going to make me wait Larissa?"  
"Adam I'm only 15 years old!!"  
  
"How old do you have to be?"  
  
"I don't know, what is this all about?"  
  
"I can get it somewhere else." He remembered Ronni but regretted the words as soon as he said them  
  
"GET OUT!!!"  
  
"Rissa baby I didn't mean that." Banksie tried to reach out for her and she slapped him in the face  
  
"Get out." The second time was a whisper but said with the same fierceness   
  
  
Adam left the room and leaned against the corridor wall. He slid down the wall until he was a mound on the floor. What had he just done? Had Ronni had the much of an effect on him already? Larissa was a sobbing heap on her bed. When did things get so wrong for them? 


	4. 4

Charlie and Guy were both in the room the three boys share when Adam got back. They had been in committed relationships and Banks wondered if they had ever questioned their feelings for Connie and Linda. But then they also had girls their own age.  
  
"What's the matter Banksie, you look like you're about to explode?" Charlie leaned over the edge of his bunk as Adam threw himself onto his bed against the adjacent wall.  
  
"Nothing." He answered into his pillow  
  
"Banks you can talk to us, we're friends, that's what we're here for." Guy looked up from his English Lit. book.  
  
There wasn't anybody on the team he trusted more then Charlie and Guy, but he knew they'd lecture him, he told them however.  
  
"Larissa's mad at me because I gave her a hard time about our lack of a sex life."  
  
Guy looked as though his eyes would fall out of his head and Charlie gasped  
  
"You did what? Damn it Banks why in the hell would you do that?"  
  
"Yeah, that doesn't sound like you Banks." Guy continued to stare at him wide eyed  
  
"I don't know guys, I wish I did. I was in Ronni's room and she was all over me, I told her no because I had a girlfriend. Then I went over to Rissa's room and I was totally hormone crazed thinking about Veronica. I don't know what to do. I don't wanna lose Larissa but we're not the same people we were a month ago, I dunno how to get myself out of this one." The worst thing was he didn't know if he even wanted too  
  
Guy smiled and gave his friend some advice  
"You know what makes Connie forgive me when I piss her off? I apologize."  
  
"Shut up Germaine." Adam tossed a pillow at him as all three boys broke into fits of laughter.  
  
The next morning he waited for Larissa like usual, this time however when she stepped down the stairs and saw him she frowned instead of smiled.  
  
"Larissa hold on." The handsome senior called after her as she tried to walk by him.  
  
"What Adam?" She whirled around her dark red hair whipping her face  
  
"Didn't think I was coming did you?"  
  
"Hoped is more like it. So what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be busy getting you lovin else where?"  
  
"That's not fair!"  
  
"It wasn't fair when you told me you were going to either." Tears were welling in her dark gray eyes but there was no way she'd let them fall.  
  
"You're right." Banks reached out for her arm and she jerked it away "I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me last night."  
  
"I do, your little head was giving your big head ideas and the big one should think twice about it."  
  
"Okay I deserved that."  
  
"Yes you did." Her voice was slightly softer but her face was still set in stone.  
  
"It must have been S.B.U or something."  
  
Larissa glared at him for using sperm back up as an excuse.  
  
"That was wrong too, Rissa, I don't know what's going on with us but I know I love you. And I'm sorry. I can wait no matter how long it takes, I want your first time to be special, even if that means it's not with me."  
  
"It'll be with you Adam, just not right now." Her arms slid around his waist her head falling just shy of his shoulder.  
  
"Are we okay now?" He looked down at her and gave a relieved grin  
  
"Yes, we're okay." Rissa said into his sweater  
  
"Good."  
  
"Can we go out tonight, do something romantic?"  
  
"I'm tutoring Ronni tonight." He wasn't sure why he told her that, he must have known it would hurt her.  
  
"I figured as much." Larissa replied sadly and walked away slowly while he watched her go.  
  
Adam felt awful all day, yet he was at Ronni's room at 5 on the dot just as he had the night before. And just as she had the night before Veronica was on him like flies on honey. This time however, Banks was less reluctant when she kissed him at the door. He couldn't understand it, when he was with Veronica all he thought about was Larissa but with Rissa all he was thinking about Ronni. Could he be falling in love with her and out of love with Rissa? Or could he really be loving to girls at the same time? 


	5. 5

~*This chapter is dedicated to Gracefall, for being a wonderful fan. Also I need a beta reader if anyone's interested, in this or anyone of my other stories, please let me know*~  
  
A few weeks later Larissa and Adam alone Banks' room, Adam was laying on the bed studying the cracks in the ceiling, while Rissa kneeled on the hard wood floor next to bed and played with his sandy hair. Charlie and Guy could tell something wasn't right between their friend and his girl and had no objection to give them some alone time.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" Her gentle voice pulled him from his thoughts had her fingers continued to dance around in his hair.  
  
"What?" He blinked focusing on Larissa pale features  
  
"What are you thinking about? You haven't said two words to me all day."  
  
"Nothing really." It was a lie but still it was better then hurting her, better then saying 'Veronica'  
  
"I can tell something's up with you Adam. Why won't you just talk to me?"  
  
"Rissa, it's nothing, don't worry about it." He reached out and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.  
  
"Do you still love me?" She asked him bluntly  
  
The only problem was he had no idea how to answer the question. He thought he did, the boy couldn't picture his live without her. But in truth if he really loved her he wouldn't be getting the butterflies in his stomach whenever Ronni was around.  
  
"Of course I love you Larissa! How could you even ask me something like that?"  
  
"It's wasn't hard, you haven't exactly been going out of your way to make me feel desired recently." She sighed and got up from the floor to head to the door.  
  
"Oh no you don't." Banksie caught her around the waist, pulling her onto the bed  
  
"Adam let me go. I'm going back to my dorm and you can call me when you're ready to be honest with me." Larissa squired free from his grasp  
  
"What are talking about, I'm always honest with you. I don't lie Larissa you know that."  
  
"Is that so?" She raised her eye brows  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good then you'll answer this question truthfully. Do you have feelings for Veronica?"  
  
Banks closed his eyes and drew a quivery breath as if answering sincerely was causing him physical pain.  
"I don't know."  
  
That however wasn't the response Larissa had been looking for however.  
"Okay, would you ever leave me for her?"  
  
"No, no, Larissa no matter how attracted to Ronni I am, I'd never give up what we have." It seemed as though there was an air of doubt in his voice, as if he was trying to convince himself as much as her.  
  
Larissa didn't say anything else she simply picked up her jean jacket and walked out of his dorm. She didn't know where she was going, or even what she'd do when she got there, but she had to leave. She wound up where she always does when she down in the dumps, the campus rink. It was at that rink that she first met the walking, talking, breathing heartache. She had been an entirely different person before Adam, strong and feisty, she didn't rely on anyone but her and didn't need a guy to make her feel whole. Then she met him and it just seemed like her world was turned upside down, like she needed him more then she needed air. Banksie was a part of her now, an important part that was slipping away and she was so powerless to stop it.   
  
She pulled her skates from her rink locker and opened the door to the ice. There was already a happy couple breezing across the smooth surface, when she got there. A couple she knew farley well, Fulton and his new girlfriend Hannah Maras, Rissa knew her pretty well, they were in the same Geography class. In fact Larissa had got them together a week earlier after Hannah spent a week straight talking about her Bash Brother obsession. They looked cuter together tough, even Hannah wasn't the type of girl you'd think of with Fulton. She was a cute girl with dark hair and eyes, tall for 15 at 5'9" and the only biracial girl in all of Eden Hall. And Fulton loved her because of that, because she wasn't like every other girl in school. Larissa wished things were like that with Adam still.  
  
Larissa sat on the bleachers and waited for the two to leave the ice and as they did Hannah noticed her, sitting there in the dark. She told her boyfriend to go on ahead and settled down on the bleacher beside Rissa. She didn't know what to say, but it didn't matter because Larissa spoke first.  
"You and Fulton look really good together."  
  
Hannah smiled the light reflecting off her braces  
"Thank you so much for getting us together, I really like him a lot."  
  
"He's a good guy." Rissa responded quietly  
  
"Yeah, but you've got a great guy too. I mean Adam Banks, every girl in school has the hotts for him. Myself included."  
  
"Hmmm." Was her reply not even words  
  
"What's wrong?" Her friend tipped her head to the side and studied Larissa's face  
  
"I think Adam's cheating on me. I mean I have no real reason to think it, I just have this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach, that there's something going on with him and Veronica Broadbent."  
  
"Oh her, I don't think there is I mean if there was I think Fulton would've told me. Besides Banks would have to be stupid to wreck what you guys have."  
  
"I guess you're right, come on let's go." Larissa didn't honestly feel any better but there was no use in beating a dead horse. She was certain her relationship was falling apart. 


	6. 6

Banks was sitting idol at his desk when Charlie and Guy came back with the rest of the guys behind them. He wasn't sure they wanted but he was sure, he didn't want company. He hadn't seen Larissa since she left his room around noon that day and here it was almost 9 and still no sign of her. It worried him, it confused him and it some how made him want Veronica more.  
  
"Okay Banksie stop ogling the internet porn and get ready." Portman spun Adam's desk chair around  
  
"What do you want guys?" Banks groaned staring at the swarm of teenage buys that had invested his room.  
  
"Jesse just called my room, there's a huge block party going on down near his house." Goldberg filled him in  
  
"That's great, have fun." Adam turned back around to face the computer screen  
  
"You ain't gettin outa this that easy cake eater." Russ tossed him the black windbreaker that was hanging from his bed knob "Now let's go."  
  
"Look, I'm not really in the mood to party right now." The blonde snapped for what may have been only like the fourth time in his life. Of course his snapping did little for his cause as Fulton looked at Portman than back to Banksie signaling him to help. Bash Brothers carried him out of the room chair and all.  
  
Once he was stuffed in Charlie's Escort Luis got on one side and Dwayne the other to prevent escape, Fulton sat in the front passenger seat and the others went in Guys van.  
  
"Just so you know, I'm doing this against my will. This is kidnapping." Banks stated as they left the school grounds  
  
"Noted." Charlie acknowledged as the eleven boys became free for the night  
  
Larissa had been wondering aimlessly for most of the day, first sitting at the rink talking with Hannah, then going to the movies for no reason there was nothing she wanted to see, she had even found herself having a grilled cheese at the diner Charlie's mom worked at. Now she was headed to the student lounge, it was a Saturday night so she knew it would be nearly deserted which it was, the only people around were Connie and Julie. She had her apprehensions about spending the evening with the lady Ducks, but she was still slightly melancholy about her discussion with her boyfriend, maybe the two girls could help her out. Larissa wanted to trust him more then anything, to believe every word he'd ever said to was true, but she simply couldn't. The lack of Guy and Luis that normally follow them around like puppy dogs was not lost on her either, so she approached them.  
  
"Hi guys."  
  
"Hey Rissa, I haven't seen you all day where have you been?" Connie moved her feet from the ottoman in front of her so Larissa could take a seat.  
  
"I've been around, doing stuff."  
  
"Oh yeah what kind of stuff?"  
"The kind of stuff you do when you've got a boring Saturday on your hands." Rissa pulled at the scrunchi on her wrist, faintly depressed  
  
"Spending time with your loving boyfriend." Julie guessed and Connie shot her a death glare. Guy had told her about Banks' problem, despite breaking his friends confidence, he never kept secrets from his fiancé. And Connie knew from the expression on Larissa's face, she hadn't been very happy with wonder boy lately.  
  
"Not really." The freshmen responded dully to varsity goalie. "Speaking of which were are you shadows?"  
  
"Boys night out." Connie giggled remembering the excuse Guy gave her on why she, Julie, Molly (Portman's girlfriend), Hannah nor Larissa were allowed to go. ' You and Jules can't come because if you did we'd have to take Larissa and we're trying to get Banks to relax.' "It's just some party down near where an old friend of ours lives, nothing to worry about."  
  
"I'm not worried anyway, Luis has been warned if he gets into trouble he can find another cat to cuddle." Julie declared  
  
"You're bad Jules." Rissa faked a laugh all the while thinking 'Wonder who's at this party for girls.'  
  
Banksie was never much of a drinker but by his fifth or sixth Mike's Hard Lemonade he was starting to feel much better. He was dancing to spite his complete and utter lack of rhythm and was even smiling.  
  
"What's up with Cake-Eater?" Jesse questioned as they watched him down a Southern Comfort shot someone handed him "I've never seen he even finish one beer before."  
  
"Girl trouble." The captain replied as if it were no big thing and the rest of the team nodded   
  
"That pretty freshmen giving him a hard time?"  
  
"Nope Banksie boy's got the hotts for another girl." Guy was just spilling Adam's secret to everyone but at least this time he was drunk and had a reason. While they were talking the guys took their eyes away from Banks long enough for Ronni to make her move.  
  
"Hi Adam!" She sauntered over oozing sex from every orifice of her body.  
  
"Hey Ronnie, how's it going?" He slurred vaguely  
  
"It's going. So what are you doing here?"  
  
"Jesse Hall's an a friend of mine, we played hockey together. You?"  
  
"Girls like me always know where the big parties are silly." She let out an overly high pitched giggle  
  
"That's cool. You wanna dance?" Banks stumbled toward her tripping drunkenly and crashing into a trash can  
"Looks like you've had o much to drink hot stuff. Why don't you come with me, we'll find you a place to lie down." Veronica grabbed his hand and dragged him up the stairs "Which one is your friends?"  
  
"That one." Banksie pointed to the door marked 19R as Ronni pushed the door open.  
  
"There why don't you lay down?" Veronica pointed to a double bed with hockey sheets  
  
"No thanks, I'm not tired." Banks gulped as the girl drew closer, she was so ripe it was a wonder all the neighborhood dogs weren't barking  
  
"Adam lay down." With that she pushed him gently knocking him off balance and onto the bed  
  
"Ronni I…I…I can't." He stuttered nervously beneath the weight of the raven haired beauty.  
  
"I know you want me." Veronica pushed her lips to his, then his neck as she worked opened the buttons of his shirt and finally she kissed his chest. "You can have, Adam. It's just us no one'll know."  
  
And so he did, repeatedly, until they both fell asleep from exhaustion.  
  
The next morning Larissa met Julie and Connie at a remarkably empty breakfast table and sat down surprised.  
  
"The guys never came back last night?"  
  
"Nope, Connie and I are going to over to Jesse's to get them after breakfast. We have an afternoon practice today and they may have forgot." Julie took a bite of her English muffin and smiled  
  
"Okay, I'll go with you."  
  
After the food was gone the three girls got up and loaded into Connie's Volkswagen bug. When they reached their destination they found the men sprawled out on the living room floor, looking like zombies. Larissa scanned the faces, yet there was one she didn't see.  
"Where's Adam?"  
  
"Uh, he's in my room sleeping one off." Jesse answered quickly  
  
"Oh. Okay I'll go wake him up." Rissa's hand was just about to grasp the latch when Jesse spoke again  
  
"He had an awful lot last night you shouldn't wake him up yet."  
  
"I'm sure he'll live."  
  
In the mean time the morning sun had begun to seem through the bedroom window, waking a sober yet hung over Banks, a unclad Veronica Broadbent nestled in his arms.  
  
'God how much did I drink last night?' He thought through the splitting head ach. 'What did I do?' The discarded Trojan wrapper and naked girl should have been a dead give away, but it wasn't till Ronni opened her eyes, kissed his cheek and told him he was the best she ever had that it really hit him. If he was worried about breaking up with Larissa before, he didn't have to now, she'd never speak to him again once she found out. And he had a feeling she'd find out very soon. How soon he couldn't believe. The door whipped open revealing Rissa and Jesse, Jesse's face had an "Oh Shit." look on it, while Larissa's was one of pain, betrayal and anger. Not a healthy mix. She spun fast on her heels and fled the building like a bat out of hell.  
Adam found someone his own age. 


	7. 7

Adam jumped from the bed wrapping a sheet around his hips and followed Larissa as she fled the room.  
  
"Rissa wait!"  
  
But she didn't stop, she pushed past Jesse and stepped on Goldberg's hand on her mad dash for the door. It was a half hour walk from Minneapolis back to Eden Hall, Larissa didn't care though she had to get away from him. Banks stood in the living room, still shrouded in his sheet, all eyes on him. And we winced as he heard the down stairs slam meaning Rissa was on her way down the street.  
  
"Talk about getting caught with your pants down Banks." Averman kidded  
  
"Shut up Averman." The group chorused  
  
Veronica had slipped her clothes on by now and came out of the bedroom. She wrapped her arm around his waist from behind resting her chin on his shoulder.  
  
"Good morning baby." She nuzzled the side of him neck  
  
"You, you did this." Julie's jaw dropped when Ronni appeared  
  
"Well I hardly think I'm totally to blame. Adam was there too, need I go on with the details?"  
  
"No, no details. Charlie I'm taking your car to bring Ronni home, where's the key?"  
  
Charlie threw him the keys and Adam went to put his pants and shirt back on. Charlie knew the real reason Banks was borrowing the car, we had to go find Larissa.  
  
"You and I are fantastic together, don't you think?" Veronica squirmed closer to Banksie in the front seat of Charlie's Escort as Adam's eyes scanned the faces of each passing pedestrian.  
  
"Yeah, sure, fantastic." He mumbled while silently scolding himself. How could he have been so stupid?  
  
"I was thinking the Senior banquet it coming up, what did you plan on wearing? The Varsity blazers are alright but you wore that to the home coming and you went with that Freshmen. It sort of ruined any desire I had to see you in it."  
  
"Larissa, her name is Larissa, Ronni."  
  
"Yeah her. Anyway, I think I'm going to wear red, it looks good with my hair. Do you think you could get red in your vest?"  
  
He wanted to ask who said he was going with her anyway, but decided against it. It wouldn't be fair to just cast her aside now. It would look as though he was only after her for her body. It couldn't be further from the truth.  
"I'll try." He answered half heartedly and continued to look for Rissa.  
  
By the time Larissa made it to Mickey's her legs felt like rubber and she was short of breath. She ran the twelve blocks without stopping, the faster she got away the better. She puffed as she dug her last bit of strength to pull the door open. Weak and panting she collapsed into the nearest booth as Charlie's mom walked over to her. She was so worked up she thought her heart would burst in her chest.  
  
"Hey Rissa, how are you?"  
  
"Hi Mrs. Conway, not to good." Larissa looked at the menu to hide her watery eyes. "Can I have a root beer please?"  
  
"Sure." Casey scribbled the order down on her pad and walked to get the drink. When she came back she handed the girl her soda and smiled at her.   
"So what's the matter sweetie."  
  
Rissa gulped her drink and lifted her eyes.  
"Adam cheated on me."  
  
"Well maybe it was just a friends thing." The older women suggested, thinking Adam had taken another girl to a movie or something  
  
"No it wasn't just a date Mrs. Conway, he slept with another girl."  
  
"Judy I'm taking my break now." The redheaded women turned to another waitress and then took the seat across from Larissa.   
"Now that doesn't sound like the Adam I know, he's always been such a sweet kid."  
  
"I knew it was going to happen, but I was so stupid, he told me he'd never hurt me and I trusted him." The tears were spilling steadily down her cheeks, she felt so used, as if the relationship they shared was nothing. She was good enough to amuse himself with until the next pretty thing came by. They sat and talked as an hour past and Larissa began to feel better. In the mean time Banksie had dropped for Veronica at campus and was combing the streets to find his girlfriend. He'd just given up when he wandered into Mickey's for a coke. The bell on the door jingled and Rissa turned her head to see who had come in. And her blood congealed in her veins  
  
"Larissa." Adam walked to her table and stood over her. The first thought that struck her was to cry and run from him, but something inside her gave way and she became the hot tempered, take no shit girl she'd been before him.  
  
"Adam you don't want to be near me right now!" She got up and shoved him out of the way  
  
"Would you stop? We need to talk." Banks grasped her shoulder and she whirled around and her fist connected with his eye  
  
"How dare you touch me after you had your hands on her! You're scum Adam Banks, so you go back and you go spend the day with your little whore, because you and I are over."  
  
"Don't you wanna know, what happened?"  
  
"I know what happened, for screwed her!"  
  
"That's not how it was."  
  
"Not how it was? What you were walking around naked and fell on top of her? I'm younger then you, but I not a fucking moron. Now if you don't get your hand off me you will never have sex as a man again. Don't touch me, don't' look at me, don't even speak my name. Is that clear?" With that she jerked her arm free from his grasp and took off out the door, leaving Banks wide eyed.  
  
"I'm sorry Larissa." He whispered as she disappeared from view. Well the decision had been made for him, Rissa didn't want him anymore, but he knew Veronica would be waiting with open arms. 


	8. 8

~*Being that I received a review in another story requesting more of this one, here it is. And thanks Nicci for being my Minnesota location advisor.*~  
  
  
  
The next few weeks were quite possibly the hardest Larissa ever lived through, with the exception of when her mom died of course. She spent every free moment she had at the rink, pushing her muscles to the limit, demanding more and more of herself. She had slipped away from the real world, barely ate, rarely talked. Even Hannah couldn't get a word out of her. The Ducks were worried, but no one could really say anything to her, it was in fact their star player that had driven her to this. A mere shell of her former self. Being with Adam had made her weak, yet when he was near a rage unmatched by any other natural force brewed in the pit of her stomach. Seeing the way he looked at her in the hallway or across the lunch room was both a blessing and a curse. Reminding her of how things used to be, how they could never be again. Not since his lips had found solace in someone else's kisses, his body discovered warmth in someone else's embrace, his heart had uncovered love for someone else.  
  
Those heart breaking thoughts stayed with her as her loops became spins, her spins became jumps and her jumps became something new. The rink door opened with a squeak and closed with a heavy thud, Rissa stopped in the center of the ice and shuttered at the sound of skates scratching the surface. Who dare invade her sanctuary? Whoever it was had better had a damn good reason. That better had not been Banks going out to try to talk to her like he had so many times in the days that passed. She wasn't ready to hear his excuse yet, maybe she never would be, deceit was on thing, betrayal other. Those only Larissa probably would have forgiven, but he had lied to her. The memory of what exactly he had said her the night of homecoming came flooding back to her as the intruder grew closer.   
  
'Larissa, I didn't kiss Nicky, she kissed me. I wouldn't kiss her. I wouldn't do it because I don't want to be with her. You're my girlfriend Rissa, you're the one I want to dance with, to kiss. You and only you. You're the most gorgeous person both inside and out I've ever met.'  
  
She had been gorgeous enough to keep him from falling back in love with Nicky, but not out of love with her or into it with Veronica. Life just didn't seem fair. What had she done to deserve this, to warrant the loss of her mother and father (whom she hadn't spoken to since the charges against Adam were dropped) and the first boy she ever gave her heart to. It was almost an intolerable pain. Maybe it was her own fault though, perhaps she was to young to let herself have those kinds of feelings, far to naive to control them. All she knew was she was alone, with the omission of the person on the ice behind, who she still hadn't turned to look at.   
  
A hand come down softly on her shoulder and she jerked her arm forward forcefully. When she heard the gratifying dull thump of human flesh hitting the ground she whipped around with an evil grin. Instantly she felt bad as she saw whom she'd flung to the ice, Kenny was sprawled out at her feet looking up shocked and chagrinned.  
  
"Oh Ken I'm so sorry." She held out her hand to the Asian boy spread eagle across the ice. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I came to ask you the same thing. Are you always that violent?" Ken dusted the ice flakes from his pants  
  
"I thought you were him." Larissa couldn't even bring herself to say Banks' name, despite the fact she'd been whispering it often, followed by a long trail of unkind descriptions.   
"You're still not talking to Adam?" Kenny raised his dark eye brows and they vanished beneath his bangs.  
  
"Nope, don't really intend to either."   
  
The boy looked at his watch and realized it was already 7:00 P.M. in the time it took him to notice Larissa not at dinner, return to get his skates and then track her down, they'd missed the meal completely.  
"Do you wanna go some where for dinner, we can talk?"  
  
Larissa had no inhibitions about leaving campus with Kenny, she knew he wasn't going to put the moves on her or anything. He'd always been friendly to her, even during Banksie's trial when the rest of the Ducks thought she was the enemy, Ken treated her with respect. Larissa settled into a booth at Dairy Queen while Ken went to order. It was nice to be doing something almost resembling fun for the first time since Ronni waltzed into her life and completely trashed it.  
  
"Here you go." Her companion lowered the tray to the table in front of her and the two began to eat.   
  
Larissa chewed hard of her French-fries for a few minutes, as much as she didn't mind talking to him, she was not going to start the conversation. As if reading her mind Ken looked up from his burger and began to speak.  
"He's really sorry he hurt you, I know he misses you a lot."  
  
"Is that why he's taking Ronni to the senior banquet?" Rissa threw the fry in her hand at her plate with an angered sigh  
  
"You heard about that."  
  
"Everyone's heard about it, it's all over the school. I'm surprised they haven't written about it in the Eden Hall Gazette. Adam Banks dumps frumpy freshmen Larissa Saunders, for sizzling senior Veronica Broadbent. Can't you just see the head line?"  
  
"Larissa you're far from frumpy. You could get lots of other guys."  
  
"I don't want lots of other guys Ken, I want Adam, or I wanted Adam. I don't even know what I want. All I know is at that stupid homecoming I felt like such a princess with him on my arm. Like I was living in a fairy tale that would never end. And suddenly that pristine bubble was shattered. You know I was so excited about going to that banquet, I want out and bought a new dress. Well it wasn't actually new, I got it at a consignment shop, but it was beautiful. The fabric the color, I loved it and I paid for it with my very own money. Now it's just going to hang in my closet at a constant reminder of a love lost." Tears were trickling down her cheeks but still she kept her voice steady.  
  
"Whoever said 'It is better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all' was clueless huh?"  
"Yeah."  
  
"Hey, Rissa do you want to go with me? I mean I know I'm not Adam or anything but it could be fun. I even know how to dance unlike Banks." Ken offered trying anything he could to cheer her up  
  
"I dunno…"  
  
"Oh come on what other choice have you got, sit in you dorm and sulk all night?"  
  
" Okay, you're right, sure, I love to go with you."  
  
"It'll all be alright." He flashed her a reassuring smile across the table  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No problem. Now let's talk about something else."  
  
They sat there for two straight hours talking like old friends. Mostly about the one thing other then Adam they had in common, figure skating. Kenny told her how thanks to the fact he was a male skater and also quiet and sensitive, people usually thought he was gay when they initially met him. Larissa laughed at that. A true honest to goodness heartfelt laugh. And it felt great. 


	9. 9

Adam's mind was completely fogged as he walked down the corridors of Eden Hall. He promised to meet Veronica outside of her last period class; he knew she'd be pissed if he were late. In truth she'd been getting increasingly annoying and clingy as time went on, the more time he spent with her the more he wanted Larissa back. But Adam was a man of morals; he couldn't just have a one-night stand and then cast the girl to the side like a piece of yesterday's garbage. Banks refused to break the hearts of two girls he really did care about one after another, despite the fact his feelings for Ronni were dwindling with every passing day. So instead he settled into his role as the male member of Eden Hall's power couple and feigned interest in everything she was involved in.  
  
"There you are, I was beginning to think you forgot all about me." Ronni wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his mouth down to cover hers  
  
"Sorry." He offered no explanation, simply took her books in one arm and her waist in the other and proceeded to escort her down the hallway.  
  
"We are a shoe in for cutest couple in the year book." She began her babble yet another one of her many qualities Banksie didn't find endearing "I mean who else could they possible vote for, Billy Timmons and Jasmine Rice? So anyway what do you think you'll wear for the picture?"  
  
"I don't know Ronni, maybe we should win first." He held the door open for her as they exited the English/History building  
  
"What about for the banquet, have you gotten your tux yet?"  
  
"Yeah we all went last night. Are you coming to my practice today?"  
  
"I can't I have to go pick up my dress at the tailors. I won't have time to tomorrow before I have to start getting ready." They walked hand in hand like younger lovers do, on their stroll to the girls' dorms. Adam had a few minutes to spare before he needed to be at the rink and what better way to spend it then with his ebony haired, ivory skinned goddess? He could think of about a million.  
  
"Alright, I'll see you at dinner then?" He smiled at her softly; she was such a beautiful girl to bad she was rotten inside.  
  
"Of course, I'll be in my regular seat right next to you. You better get going or Orion's liable to suspend you." Veronica squeezed his hand then tipped up her chin in anticipation for a goodbye kiss. Adam tried to get away with just a simple peck on the lips, but she caught the sides of his head and held him in place for a bit further passionate one.   
  
Their kisses were violent and steamy, dizzying and thrilling. Nothing compared to the ones he used to share with Larissa. With Larissa they had always been, delicate and teasing, sweet and innocent, most of all breathtaking. Everything that she was. But that was over, over a month ago. Over a month since she walked out of his life without so much as letting him explain. But then what kind of excuse is 'I was drunk' anyway? As much as he hated to admit it though, he missed her.  
  
But his life would go on, hers had. Rumors were circulating that she was seeing someone else those days, though they were neither confirmed nor denied. To the untrained eye he had it all, to those who knew him, he even seemed to finally have all he could ever ask for. He'd received his scholarship, was MVP of the Ducks, got the new computers for the library like he promised in his student council campaign and he was sleeping with Veronica Broadbent. Every other guy in the school would've traded his right arm to be in that position.  
  
"Have a good practice." Ronni blessed and blew him a kiss as she turned down the walkway  
  
Banks smile again and as his new girlfriend entered the dorm, he caught sight or his old girlfriend coming out. Larissa's pretty face showed hurt and anger again, an anger she thought she'd never get rid of. Adam closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the girl detoured onto the grass to avoid coming into contact with him on the pavement.  
  
"Larissa talk to me. Will you at least talk to me for five fucking minutes?"  
  
"You don't wanna hear what I have to say." She snapped quickening her pace. That nonetheless was in vain, she knew Adam would catch her in no time flat, which he did grabbing her around the waist. "Get your hands off me right now!" Rissa screamed kicking and flailing trying to escape him vice like grasp.  
  
"Not until you agree to talk to me."  
  
"Why is talking to me so damned important? You have a freaking girlfriend Banks, go bother her." She kicked him hard in he shins and he allowed her to drop to the ground  
  
"Would you stop please?" Adam reached for her arm this time getting her in a gentler hold "I just want to explain, that's all then you can go back to hating my guts."  
  
"I don't hate you Adam, loath probably, despise definitely. But I'm way past hate already. You've got three minutes to spew whatever crap you have to say, I have to meet someone at your practice and I won't be late. Unlike you I don't let down people that I claim matter to me." She spat like venom  
  
"Alright, look Larissa, I know I screwed up, I'm not gonna ask you for forgiveness. I don't deserve it for what I did. I mean, you gave up your father for me, Nicky too and I repay you by betraying you in the worst possible way. But I want you to know every time I told you I loved you, every time I said I'd never leave you I meant it. I'd still be with you right now if you'd let me. I know I hurt you; I didn't earn a second chance so I'm not going to beg you for one. All I can really say is I'm sorry. As a peace offering I'd still like to bring you to the banquet, Ronni's a senior she can get in on her own."  
  
"Thanks but no thanks." Her dark gray eyes were almost black with fury  
  
"You're going to miss out on this? You were so excited about it before."  
  
"No I'm not missing out, I'm going just not with you. I have a date." She stopped herself from telling with whom; she didn't want to cause problems between him and Kenny until absolutely necessary.  
  
'So the rumors are true, she does have a new guy in her life.' The thought made Adam feel cold inside. It finally hit him he'd probably never get her back.  
"You do? Oh that's good. So ah, you said you were coming to watch our uh practice…"  
  
"Yeah I did. Don't worry it's not for you. I do consider the Ducks my friends still, just because you're a jerk doesn't mean I can't be cool with them. Now if you'll excuse me." With that she stalked off  
  
"You're talking who to the banquet?" Russ was the only one that could manage words as the rest of the team stared at Ken like he had sprouted a tail.  
  
"Larissa, why is that a big deal? She wanted to go, I didn't have a date, and we're friends and I really like her. There's no reason I shouldn't take her." The figure skater proclaimed as he pulled on an elbow pad  
  
"I'm surprised to hear you say that Kenny. What about Adam, isn't he a good enough reason? I'm mean friends first, Ducks fly together." Julie always the voice of reason  
  
"Banks cheated on her, he broke her heart remember? Somebody has to pick up the pieces." Everyone went wide eyed at Charlie, from the sound of his sermon one would think Captain Duck wanted something that had the potential to pull the team apart to actually happen "Larissa is a really nice girl, she deserves better then what Banksie put her through."  
  
"So you think it's okay for Ken to date her?" Guy asked shocked from the back of the locker room.  
  
"It doesn't matter anyway guys, I like Larissa and she's going to be my date to the dinner either way. And as much as I don't want to make Adam made he'll have to get over it, he gave her up." Normally the team would have made a comment about how uncharacteristically assured Ken sounded, but they were all silent. He knew that wasn't good, when he turned around he was looking straight at Adam and the latter didn't look too pleased.  
  
"Thanks a lot Kenny." Banksie chucked his hockey bag onto one of the benches and took off out of the locker room slamming the door in the process. His fist went hard against the wall out side the rink and he slumped to the floor at the bottom of the stairs near the Coke machines. There was no way he could ever win Rissa back from Ken. The two were so perfect for each other even Adam wondered how they'd managed not to notice for so long.   
  
He never made it to practice that day; he just sat like a bump on a log in that same spot. He could hear the coach yelling and the sounds of skates on ice going on the floor above him, still he didn't move. In fact he was in the very same place when she came down the flight of stairs, her dark auburn hair pulled up in a messy button and a varsity jacket draped casually over her shoulders. This one conversely read KW 16 where the one she use to wear said AB 99.  
  
"Oh, I didn't think you'd be down here." She mumbled quietly stepping past him to the vending machine.  
  
"You're going with Wu?" Was his response  
  
"Umm yeah. I didn't want you to find out like this." Larissa put her dollar in the slot and pressed the Mountain Dew button  
  
"Since when do you drink Dew?"  
  
"It's for Kenny."   
  
"Oh. So are you guys like an item now or…"  
  
"I don't know. I guess we are. Plus he's small enough that if he ever cheats on me I can kick his ass. Why the hell am I talking about this to you?" She barked, "If you weren't such a insensitive pig, we'd still be together. This is none of your business."   
  
"Rissa, I can't argue with you okay. I don't want to fight about this."  
  
"Good. Damn it they're out of Root Beer." Larissa kicked the machine and dropped to the floor with an exasperated groan  
  
"I think you're over reacting, it's only a soda."  
  
"You know as well as I do, it's not the soda."  
  
"Yeah. Rissa, when did everything go wrong?"  
  
"I don't know. I mean, we weren't exactly happy before Veronica were we?"  
  
"No, but I loved you still. How did we lose it?"  
  
"You have your hopes and dreams and they don't include a 15 year old girlfriend."  
  
"I love you just as much now as I ever did."  
  
"I love you too Adam but that's not enough. Ken, he makes me feel special, like I was put here on this Earth to be with him. You haven't made me feel that way in a long time."  
  
"I know. I guess this is for the best isn't it?"  
  
Larissa smiled very unnatural smile and looked him in the eyes. She blinked a few times as he put one hand on her cheek.  
"One last kiss?"  
  
Rissa nodded and leaned her head forward and brought her lips to his, lingering in the sensation she'd missed.  
  
"Rissa, what's taking so lon-" Ken was standing at the top of the staircase, his jaw open "I…I…I…" He stuttered then spun on his heels and took off  
  
"Oh god!" Larissa shot up from her spot on the ground "Kenny wait!"  
  
She chased him up the stairs, out of the rink and across the lawn. Her short legs pumping as fast as they could.  
"Kenny would you stop please!"  
  
The Korean boy whipped around his dark hair flying in every direction.  
"I'm not upset that you have feelings for Banks still, but why are you with me then? That's all I want to know."  
  
"It's not like that between Adam and I anymore." She panted out of breath from the chase  
  
"You don't love him anymore?"  
  
"Yeah, Ken I do. A part me always will he's the first guy I've ever loved. He made me feel like a princess until Veronica came along, I'll always remember that But I'm not with him, I'm with you. Banks hurt me, he broke my heart and I can't forgive him for that. You, I know you'll never do that to me. You're so sweet and kind and I'm not going to give that up for someone who's already crushed me one. I'm not a glutton for punishment. I'm not Adam's girl any more, I'm yours. At least I'd like to be." She shifted her smoldering eyes to the ground.  
  
Ken sighed wrapping his arm around her and pulling her to him.  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Larissa lifted her head to look him in the face and smiled  
"Very sure."  
  
The boy dropped a kiss on her lips, which she parted allowing the kiss to deepen to an eye closing, foot popping kiss. A kiss like which Larissa had never experienced. Yet her mind refused to get off of Adam. 


	10. 10 the end

Larissa stepped out the bathroom and admired herself in the full-length mirror handing on the door. The royal blue kimono style dress she bought looked fabulous against her peaches and cream complexion and her hair cascaded down her back in flowing blackish red ringlets. Her stomach was beyond knotted, her knees felt like jelly and she hadn't been that nervous since her first date with Banks.  
  
"Oh Rissa you look fantastic." Nicky cooed twisting her long blonde hair into a tight chignon. Ever since Larissa and Adam's break up the girls had been becoming friends again. Rissa however still didn't trust Nicole as far as she could throw her.  
  
"Thanks." The younger girl smiled graciously, and then tried to stifle a laugh as she rolled on her lips gloss  
  
"What?" Nicky raised a perfectly tweezed eyebrow  
  
"It's two things really 1) the last time we were getting all dressed up like this was home coming, you took Dwayne and I went with Adam, now neither of us are with either of them. 2) Well I just sorta wondered if it's destiny that I bought a kimono dress and I'm going with the only Asian boy in school."  
  
  
"Yeah I see what you're saying. It's pretty weird." Nicole stood up from her vanity and did a model spin "How do I look?" Her golden hair shined like she just stepped out of a shampoo commercial, hours in a tanning bed gave her skin a sun kissed glow and her lavender dress caressed her every curve.   
  
"Absolutely gorgeous, as usual." Larissa complimented, as there was a knock at the door. She took a deep breath along with one last look in the mirror before walking over to open it. Kenny was standing on the other side his black bangs falling in his eyes and a shy grin and his lips. At the sight of his date him mouth hung open and his almond shaped eyes nearly fell out of his head.  
  
"Larissa wow, you look wow."   
  
The girl smiled back at him bashfully  
"Thank you. Are you always that articulate Mr. Wu?"  
  
"Not normally. Uh this is for you." Rather then a corsage, he'd taken the more romantic yet cheaper way out and bought a single yellow rose.  
  
"Oh Ken it's beautiful. Thank you." She took the flower and kissed his cheek  
  
Kenny let out a relieved breath and took her hand  
"Shall we go?"  
  
"We shall."  
  
The two entered the gym holding hands and looked in awe at red and black decorations that hung from everywhere. They'd never seen it look that lovely  
  
"Oh gosh." Rissa gushed taking in the scene  
  
"I know it looks great. Come on let's go sit down." Kenny's arm slipped around her waist and pulled her into his side.  
"Hey look Ken and Larissa are here." Julie announced taking her glass of punch from Luis   
  
"Banks and Veronica are over in the drink line this is going to be an interesting night." The Latin speedster lowered himself into the chair next to Jules and the waited for the fire works to begin.  
  
"Who do you want to sit with?" Ken asked as they steered through the crowd  
  
"We can sit with the Ducks." Rissa replied sweetly  
  
"I don't want you to be uncomfortable."  
  
"But they're your friends, I can deal with it. Besides who else could we sit with, I don't have any friends."  
  
"Do you wanna sit with the Bash Brothers? Banks won't sit with them."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Larissa allowed herself to be led through the crowd toward the table in the corner that Fulton and Portman had claimed their own.  
  
"Hey little Bash Brother!" Portman ruffled Ken's hair affectionately  
  
"Can we sit with you guy?" Kenny requested running his fingers through his hair to straighten it out  
  
"Of course pull up a chair." Hannah said brightly  
  
Rissa squeezed Kenny's hand and deposited herself into the seat near Hannah pulling her date down with her.  
  
Across the room Adam was sitting with Charlie, Linda, Guy and Connie. His eyes traveled to his ex girlfriend a good portion of the night, but he knew from the conversation they'd had the day prior, he wasn't getting her back. He was willing to let her go, all he had to do was tell her. Ronni ran her hand up his arm and nuzzled his neck. He smirked at her charmingly, she really wasn't that bad after all. After a sleepless night Banks had came to the conclusion that Veronica deserved better and he really did like her, he was willing to give their relationship a try.  
  
  
"Do you feel like dancing Hun?" Hun? That was new Ken had never called Rissa Hun before.   
  
She lifted her head from his shoulder and studied his face, there wasn't a hint of sarcasm on it, the Hun was totally serious.  
"Definitely."  
  
They glided to the dance floor holding tightly to each other. Larissa was absolutely falling in love, she never imagined feeling that way for anyone after Banks ripped out her heart, but still as she clung to Ken there on the hardwood floor she felt a feeling she'd never had before. His heart was beating at the same pace as hers, his arms fit around her perfectly, he was the right height to dance with, and everything was flawless.  
  
"You're a wonderful dancer." She praised   
  
"It doesn't hurt to have a great partner." If Larissa was falling in love, Ken already was.  
  
"Umm can I cut in?" Both turned their heads to see Adam standing to the right of them   
  
Kenny looked at Rissa and she nodded reluctantly letting her arms drop from his neck. He kissed her gently on the lips and left them.  
  
"Where's Veronica?"   
  
Banksie frowned slightly as his arms enclosed her hips  
"In the bathroom. I just wanted to tell you, that I'm giving up. You and Ken look really happy. I don't want to come between you two."  
  
"We are happy, I like him so much. Adam I can't remember the last time I was this content. Kenny, he's so right for me. We agree on everything."  
  
"I guess we weren't meant to be were we?"  
  
"I think if either one of us had a different personality we would be. I loved you Adam, a lot. You brought skating back to me, you helped me come to grips with my mom's death, and I owe you for that. Kenny's the one for me now though and I wouldn't change that."  
  
"I understand, I will always love you Larissa."  
  
"I'll always love you too Adam just not that way."  
  
Ken stood off the to side watching the interaction. And something clicked in his mind. Something about the way they looked together, something he couldn't explain. As the song ended he walked over to Larissa and pulled her to the side.  
  
"Rissa we have to talk."  
  
"Okay baby." She followed him with a grin "What is it?"  
  
"I think we should end this. It's not working out."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah, I mean I thought there was something there but there isn't."  
  
"How can you say that? I thought… I thought." Rather then finishing what she had to say the girl took off, much the same as she had at home coming. This time though Ken didn't chase her like Banks had. As she ran past the tables tears streaming down her face Adam caught sight of her, again he trailed. That only adding to Ken's suspicions.  
  
"Rissa what happened?" He grabbed her by her shoulders and forced her to a stop  
Her tears were coming so steadily as she sobbed, her breathing was jagged and straggled. She couldn't speak. All she did was bury her face in his tux and bawled. After a solid ten minutes he tried again  
  
"Rissa what's wrong?"   
  
"Ken broke up with me." She managed between coughs and whimpers  
  
"He did what? Why?"  
  
"I don't know. He said it wasn't working out. I don't know what I did wrong Adam. I don't understand it."  
  
"Okay, this isn't the best place to talk about this. Why don't you go up to your room and get changed, I'll bring Veronica back to her dorm and meet you at Mickey's." His hand brushed the tears from her eyes and kissed her cheek. Larissa nodded obediently and headed to change.  
  
Mickey's was pretty empty that night, it was unusual but then most of the normal crowd was the banquet. Rissa's head hurt from crying still her eyes continued to water to the point her vision was blurred.  
  
"Here's you Root Beer." One of the waitresses walked over to where the young girl sat and placed a cup on the table  
  
"I didn't order a drink." She whispered without looking up  
  
"That young man over there did." The server answered pointing in the direction of the boy  
  
Larissa lifted her head expecting to see Banksie on the other side of the room, she didn't. It was Kenny. She blinked repeatedly to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. They weren't he was there.  
  
"Can I sit?" He asked barely above a whisper  
  
"It's a free country. What are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to apologize. I talked to Banks, he told me you were upset."  
  
"Upset, Kenny you just broke my heart. You promised me you wouldn't do that. I mean what's wrong with me, you're the second guy in three months."  
  
"Rissa I'm sorry. I didn't mean it; I thought you were still in love with Adam. I thought that, you were only with me for the sake of not being single. I didn't realize you cared about me that much. I never meant to hurt you. You've got to believe me I thought I was helping you by letting you go. I think I'm in love with you Larissa."  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"Deathly. Do you forgive me?"  
  
The girl jumped up from her seat and ran around the table pressing her lips hard to his.  
"I love you too."  
  
"So what did he say to you?" Rissa asked as Ken walked her to her door  
  
"Basically 'As much as I don't want to admit this, it's not me she loves it's you. So you better get over whatever insecurities you're having right now and go fix things. She's going to be waiting at Mickey's.' Then he threatened my life if I ever made you cry again." He kissed her again  
  
"Remind me to thank him."  
  
"I certainly will, I have to too. I'll meet you outside your dorm tomorrow morning?"  
  
"Okay. I love you Ken."  
  
"I love you too Baby." They shared a long passionate kiss in the middle of the hall and Kenny left to go to his room with a spring in his step. Things were great, and to think none of that would've happened if Adam hadn't decided he wanted someone his own age.  
  
  
~* This was a shitty chapter but I wanted to get it over with so I could get the third story started. That is if you all want a sequel, if you do let me know.*~ 


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